


The Stranger Who Came After

by RachaelGold



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M, Janeway lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-05-16
Packaged: 2019-05-07 19:37:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14678019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RachaelGold/pseuds/RachaelGold
Summary: This is by nature of an Endgame fixer-upper, AND a Before Dishonour fixer-upper.WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE LATTERIn Before Dishonour, Janeway is assimilated and made into the Borg queen, before being annihilated. Though this focuses on Endgame, it effectively prevents the future occurrence of the other problem too. I have now revised the story to take account of the events in Full Circle, in which Kathryn and Chakotay spend one night together, before being parted. (May 09)





	The Stranger Who Came After

**Author's Note:**

> Endgame rewrite written in the era when Janeway was dead in the post series novels. Essentially a Janeway lives story or at least a story that will bring about the prevention of her death.  
> It is essential to the understanding of this story, that the reader is aware that Janeway was killed off for a while (how dare they!) and writers were all spurred on to put right this travesty in our stories.

Setting: Endgame part II

The viewscreen registered a slight smokiness, and seconds later Harry Kim, ops officer, confirmed scanners were picking up some kind of spacial disturbance. As the viewer zoomed in on the offending area of space, the wispy greyness seemed to grow with alarming speed, though this was in reality an illusion created by the gradual refocusing of the scanners. 

Kathryn Janeway, Captain of the Starship Voyager, had a strong sense of déjà vu. In her years of experience travelling space and studying every kind of phenomenon, she had seen many such anomalies, but this one had a distinct aura to it, a strangely familiar manifestation. She'd seen one just like it forty-eight hours earlier. For that matter, so had all the Bridge Crew. 

As if to confirm her suspicions, Kim elaborated. "Captain, it's some kind of temporal rift." 

"Again? Keep scanning for weapons signatures," ordered Janeway, "and ready a tachyon burst to close the rift, if necessary." 

"Aye, Captain," confirmed Tuvok from tactical. 

The Captain tapped her comm badge. "Janeway to…Admiral Janeway." 

"Yes Captain?" came her own voice across the intercom. 

"Could you get up here at once? There's something I want you to see." 

"On my way," answered her older counterpart, closing the link. 

The Captain paced the Bridge deck for the next two minutes, hand on hip, head down in thought, while she awaited the arrival of the enigmatic older version of herself, who had arrived so unexpectedly through the previous manifestation of this anomaly. She occasionally glanced incredulously at the growing cloud of vaporous space dust on the screen and at the concentration on the brows of Tuvok and Kim, neither of whom had detected any signatures within the rift so far. The Bridge crew went about their duties as efficiently and meticulously as usual, in long rehearsed routine. They were well used to this sort of behaviour in their commanding officer, and they trusted in her implicitly. 

When the Admiral from the future arrived on the Bridge and took in the view on the screen, the Captain watched her face closely for any sign of recognition or expectation on her part, but saw quickly that the older woman's consternation matched her own. She had no more idea of what was happening than she did. 

"Whom are we to expect this time?" the Captain asked the Admiral. "Is it possible the Klingons have managed to find a way to come after you?" 

The older woman moved closer. "I doubt it entirely. Even if they had another device, there is no way they could have traced the temporal or spatial co-ordinates I set. They have no idea of where…or when…we are. Once you closed that rift, they had no way of following me through." 

"Even so, someone appears to have found us. If what you say is true, this has to be from the new timeline." She looked speculatively at the older version of herself. "Or perhaps you've over-played your hand. It could be Braxton here to haul you back to where you came from." 

"I'm sure the time-police have better things to do than track down one errant old woman. If they've half a gram of common sense, they'll confine themselves to dealing with major infractions into the time continuum." 

"Major infractions? A whole starship full of people who'll be back in the Alpha Quadrant sixteen years ahead of time if we go through with your plan? And you don't call that a major infraction?" 

The Admiral pinched her lips. Braxton was the one variable she could never factor in to her plan. She had to hope it wasn't him. 

"Captain," said Kim, "There's a vessel coming through the rift." 

"Signature?" 

"One moment…it's Starfleet, ma'am." 

The Captain turned to her older self, and their eyes met in wonderment. "Let me guess. Another version of yourself has come to get us home. How many more Janeways can we expect, do you think?" The older woman did not have an answer to that. "In which case, your plan must have failed…" 

"We don't know that yet," said the Admiral, mildly irritated. "At the very least, I must have got Voyager much closer to home and saved a few lives in the process." 

They turned back to the viewscreen and watched as a shuttle, virtually identical to the one the Admiral had arrived in two days earlier, materialised out of the rift. 

"Detecting Klingon weapons fire within the rift," commented Tuvok. 

"The shuttle is hailing us," reported Kim. 

"On screen," said the Captain. 

A strangely familiar face appeared on the screen. "There's no time to explain. You know the drill. Fire at the rift and seal it!" 

Both Kathryns' jaws had dropped, but the Captain recovered quickly. "Tuvok, initiate the tachyon burst! Seal that rift." 

"Aye, Captain," responded the imperturbable Vulcan. 

They stared solemnly at the screen, as a white arc of light curved around the dark shuttle, snapping at the tear in the fabric of space. In seconds the rift had been obliterated. No hint of it ever existing remained, except the visiting shuttle left hanging in the blackness of open space. 

The viewscreen cut back to the stranger at the helm of the shuttle. 

"Perhaps you would care to explain your presence here in the Delta Quadrant?" the Captain demanded, a little brusquely. 

"Tsk, tsk, Kathryn," said the stranger. "That's no way to address your superior officer. In case you haven't noticed, I outrank everyone on the ship…except one," he said, swivelling his gaze towards the older woman with a smile. "I've come to bring Voyager home…and save two more people in the process." 

The Captain remained silent for a few more seconds, as she debated whether to give permission for the vehicle to land in a shuttle bay. As she did so, her eyes swept over the features of the stranger assessingly. He was much older, his hair more grey than black now. His face more care-worn, but unmistakeable. 

Chakotay. 

* * *

  


As he disembarked the shuttle, both Janeways were waiting for him in the bay, together with the regulation security team. As he eased his stiffened joints down the steps, he could not hide the delight he held in seeing both of them again, for the first time in over twenty years. 

The younger woman, so close to the Kathryn he'd known, loved and lost, had that familiar confident air. Business-like and proud, she waited for him to approach. Her eyes sparkled darkest blue, wary but intense. And her hair shone with that incredible auburn sheen that made her stand out in any crowd. Next to her stood an older, but still handsome woman. The same blue eyes sparkled, this time with a hint of amusement, even welcome. Her head was crowned in magnificent silver, and a faint smile hovered on her lips, evidently more ready to accept his arrival. He'd met her before, but only briefly and it was a long time ago. Now he'd have a chance to get to know her all over again. 

"Captain…Admiral!" he began, doing his best to cover the emotion engulfing him at this very moment. His blood was racing and he hoped it didn't show in his voice. 

"I suppose I should welcome you aboard Voyager…Admiral?" said the Captain. 

"Thank you, but there's no need for the tour. I know my way around." 

"I'm sure you'll do your best to convince me you do….but we have to be sure. If you don't mind, I wish to verify you are who you say you are." 

"I wouldn't expect anything less. You always were very thorough," he said with a grin. 

"So they made you an Admiral?" asked the older woman. 

"Well then, that makes two of us. I don't know why you should be so surprised." 

"Oh...I'm not. I'm sure you earned it." 

They took the new arrival to the Sickbay, so that the Doctor could confirm his identity, and, until he did so, the younger Janeway continued in business-like fashion. Admiral Janeway stood back for a moment, studying the stranger with curiosity. He looked about her age, but still incredibly handsome. The almost grey hair lent him a distinguished air, and his body was just a little more solid. When the Doctor asked his age, she found he was eighteen months older than her…just as Chakotay always had been. So he had come back from her era. But it also meant he had survived, and she was rather thrilled about that. His survival had been one of the primary goals of her mission. In her own timeline, he had been dead for ten years. 

"This is bizarre," he told the two women. "More for you than myself. I've met the both of you before. For instance, I was present at the meeting in the Briefing Room when we discussed the plan for tomorrow, and Harry had a moment of true inspiration when he said the journey was more important than the destination. And that he couldn't think of any place he'd rather be, or any people he'd rather be with. I'm sure he was right, and he echoed what many of us were thinking. I have sometimes wished we had never gotten home. I've missed you both. It's twenty-six years since we met briefly, Admiral. I didn't get to know you all that well, but you are the same person as the Kathryn I love. And twenty-three since I lost you, Kathryn," he said, inclining his head at the younger woman. "It's been a long lonely road, but you'd know what that feels like, wouldn't you, Admiral?" 

"Why have you come back?" asked the Captain, the slight irritation showing in her voice. 

"To save the both of you." 

"Isn't it a bit presumptuous of you to risk our plan just to save two people?" asked Admiral Janeway. "Change it, and who knows what effect…" 

"Any more than your plan to save twenty-two? I have as much right to attempt to save two. Not to mention the vast majority of the Federation fleet in Sector 001? And to prevent the whole of the Terran population, together with vast swathes of humanity being put at grave risk? Forgive me, but I think my stakes are higher." 

Both Janeways were rather shocked at this, but were relieved of their response by the Doctor. He confirmed that the man in front of them was indeed an older version of their own Commander, although he didn't have the neural interface embedded in his brain that the older Janeway had. Chakotay explained that he could live without such new fangled technology. It gave him a headache. 

The Captain thanked the Doctor and ordered them immediately to her Ready Room. 

The younger Chakotay, on his Captain's orders, now joined them, very perturbed and somewhat put out by having his date with Seven interrupted. Admiral Janeway had evidently told Seven something that disturbed her, and he wanted to wheedle more of it out of her and limit the damage caused by the exchange. He was already reeling from having two Kathryn Janeways on board, already resenting the effect the older woman was having on the women in his life, and now had to cope with an older version of himself as well. The rest of the crew seemed to have taken this latest arrival in their stride. Weird, as Janeway was wont to say, is part of the job. 

The atmosphere in the Ready Room was tense, as they took their positions around the seating area. All four eyed each other warily. 

"I would be grateful if you would explain your presence, Admiral Chakotay," said the Captain, opening the conversation. "This time I want the detailed version." 

"As I informed you earlier, I have come to bring Voyager home. I know you two have hatched up a plan together, and it needs a little tweaking." 

"My plan didn't work?" asked the older Janeway. 

"Substantially it did," Admiral Chakotay told her. "You succeeded in getting Voyager home and destroying the hub, with no further immediate casualties…other than yourself, of course. But then you always knew you wouldn't be returning, didn't you?" He fixed the older woman's gaze, and for a long moment she didn't respond. Finally, she nodded. "That's why I had to come back after you had all made the decision to go tomorrow. For the most part, everything must happen exactly the same. You must follow your current plan precisely." 

"If the plan worked, why are you here?" asked the Captain. 

"It's my wish to stay here in the Delta Quadrant and ensure your safety, Admiral. I'm sure no-one would have any objection to my doing that?" 

Captain Janeway's face was unreadable. "Not unless it affects the likelihood of success of the mission." 

"I am confident it will not." 

"You went through all of this to save me?" asked Admiral Janeway. 

"That in itself would have been sufficient inducement," he smiled at her. "But I came to save your younger self as well," he added, turning back to the Captain. 

"I am a casualty?" asked the Captain. 

"Not yet, but in three years time…." 

"I don't think you should be telling me this." 

"Come now, you've already ignored the Temporal Prime Directive by listening to the Admiral over there. I already know how much she's told you." 

"Still, my life is unimportant compared with the others that we'll have saved and the destruction of the hub." 

"The hell, it is," he blustered. Moderating his tone, he continued, "Always the sacrificial lamb, Kathryn. Why can you never understand how much you mean to all the people on this ship? Let alone that dolt over there that won't admit how much he loves you?" 

The younger Chakotay jolted in surprise at this. So far he'd been listening rather stupidly to this rather bizarre conversation. "Now wait a minute…" 

The older man silenced him with a flick of his hand. "Time for that later. You two will need to thrash this out for yourselves once you get home. By the way, she knows about you and Seven. The Admiral over there told her about it. Not particularly helpful, by the way, because it'll make her back away, in the mistaken belief she's freeing you up to find happiness with someone else. You'll miss her terribly and eventually you'll realise how much you've lost by wasting your time with a woman that can never make you happy. If you don't nip this thing in the bud, it will drive a wedge between you and your Kathryn that may never heal. I know. I've lived twenty-three years without Kathryn Janeway in my life, and believe me it's devastating. Twenty-three years of regretting not seizing the chances we had when we were first home." 

"All this is very interesting, but I fail to see what bearing this has on our plans for tomorrow," said the Captain, impatiently. She wasn't inclined to believe this little history. Chakotay didn't feel like that about her anymore, she was sure of that. Was this older man playing games, just as the older woman had? Was he attempting the same emotional blackmail? 

"It doesn't. You proceed tomorrow exactly as planned, except you leave it to me to get Admiral Janeway out of Borg cube before it explodes. I take the second shuttle in, right behind, and stay in stealth mode till the last possible moment." 

"You're taking a huge risk. And you'll be left behind in the Delta Quadrant, even if you succeed." 

"It's a risk I'm prepared to take. I've had years to plan it. I'm sure it can work. After all, everything I've done so far is an exact copy of what Admiral Janeway did to get back here. I just had to follow her footsteps. That freed me up to focus on what happens next." 

"I may very well be too far gone for you to save…." said Admiral Janeway. 

"I've thought of that. We use the neural suppressant, as we've done before. That will preserve your cognitive processes. It's vital that we do, for your sake and for the wider implications. You possess vast swathes of Federation knowledge, valuable cognizance of the future, none of which we can allow to be absorbed into the Borg consciousness. But I've also brought an up-to-date version of the EMH with me. It's taken up half the memory banks in the shuttle, but it's equipped with all the latest subroutines in removal of Borg implants." 

The four looked at each other with rising hope. There was certainly something in this proposal. 

"Very well. If you are prepared to accept the risk, I can accept the change to our tactics," agreed the Captain. "It should not adversely affect our chances of success." 

"Thank-you." 

"Your timing will be crucial." 

"I know. But you forget, I've been here before. I've witnessed what's about to happen. I'm confident I know exactly when that Borg cube is going to explode to the second…at least if I stay out of the way and don't interfere until you reach that point. I have a five second window to beam her out. It's more than enough." 

The Captain nodded. "Yes it is." 

"And you will arrive home in a blaze of glory. The Maquis and the Equinox crews will be pardoned. And you two must thrash out your feelings for each other before it's too late." 

Both of the younger people looked stony faced at this. Both resented being told what to do by anyone else, even by an older, wiser version of themselves, and neither one dared look at the other. 

"It already is," muttered the younger woman. 

"No, it's not. It's never too late, is it?" said Admiral Chakotay, smiling at Admiral Janeway. 

A smile finally appeared on the older woman's face. "No, I guess it's not." 

"Good, now there's one more thing….and this is the most important. Chakotay, I'm charging you with making sure this doesn't happen. Chain her up in some secret hideaway, if you have to, but don't let it happen." 

The younger man looked up, realising that this was something of the utmost gravity. 

"I still don't think you should tell us this," said the Captain. 

"I haven't come all this way and thrown away my old life just for you to ignore this part. I came here to save you above all else. Don't you think you should know how to avoid your demise?" 

"We all have to die, Admiral." 

"And what about the manner of your death? What if your death, or at least the events leading up to it, put the whole of the Alpha Quadrant in jeopardy? Costing countless lives until you're eventually blown out of the sky, but not until after your essence, your knowledge, everything about you has been absorbed into the collective." 

The younger Kathryn opened her mouth to respond, but was unable to form any words. 

"Three years from now, you, Captain Janeway, will be an Admiral," he continued. "You will be charged with the responsibility of dealing with an apparently dead Borg cube, the biggest cube anyone in the Federation has ever witnessed. There will be not a sign of life on it. To all intents and purposes, it will appear to be a drifting piece of scrap metal. You will take a team on board to investigate. You must stay away and have it destroyed instead. It represents the Borg at their most dangerous and calculating. It's only laying dormant, waiting for the ultimate prize. The cube itself will have become a conscious Borg entity." He paused, in order that his next words would have the most effect. "You see, that's why I've got save both of you. They had a taste, so to speak, or rather tomorrow they will get a taste of something even I know is unforgettable. They'll sample something they'll be hell bent on making their own. They'll spend the next three years craving for more, manoeuvring to get their hands on the one thing they think could finally make them masters of the Alpha Quadrant. It's you, Kathryn Janeway. They want you for the next Borg Queen." 

* * *

  


Her back, straight and proud, was towards Admiral Chakotay as he entered her assigned quarters. He could barely make her out in the dim light as she stared at the stars through her viewport. Only a slight sheen on the silver hair gave her away. 

"Kathryn?" he ventured gently. 

She turned slightly. "I guessed it was you." 

"Admiring the view?" 

"You'd think at my age, I'd have tired of it." 

He stood in silence, smiling at her shadowy form, wondering how she would receive him. Eventually, she seemed to accept his presence by advancing into the relatively better lit part of the room. 

"I doubt you'll ever tire of it." 

"I suppose I should offer you a drink." 

"I'll get them," Chakotay said, heading for the replicator. "I suppose you'll want your usual poison." 

"I had given it up…but actually a black coffee sounds just about perfect." 

As he busied himself with the replicator, he said, "What do you think of my little plan?" 

"It has its merits," she offered, with a smile and a sigh as she settled into an easy chair. 

"I'm sure it does," he said, handing her the coffee. She tested it appreciatively, but it was clearly quite hot, so she settled for inhaling the aroma. Chakotay grinned at the familiar gestures, and sipped at his tea. He took a seat opposite her. 

"What made you come, Chakotay?" 

"The exact same reasons as you. To save the people I care about. To change history…for the better." 

"So I didn't succeed?" 

"No, you did. Your plan worked as you intended. We got home. We saved your twenty-two crewmen. We destroyed the hub, dealt a crippling blow to the Borg. And Seven of Nine has been just fine. Made a great life for herself on earth, as did many others." 

"I'm glad to hear it," she said, somewhat relieved. She was having a hard time coming to terms with the possible failure of her mission, something she had devoted the last ten years of her life to. 

"But we still lost one more person….and it was devastating to all of us, most especially to me." 

"Me?" she whispered. 

"You. From my point of view, you died over twenty years ago. Both versions of yourself have been assimilated by the Borg. I'm here to stop it happening." 

"Maybe it's my destiny." 

"Targshit. I happen to have a strong opinion as to what your destiny is, and so far you've spectacularly failed to achieve it." 

She didn't acknowledge his comment. "Even so, we can't risk the success of the mission over this. My life is unimportant compared with…" 

"Don't try that one again. Do you know how inconsiderate your attitude is? You have that answer down pat…always far too willing to sacrifice yourself, without a thought to what your loss might mean to anyone else. Besides, I'd hazard a guess that you feel rather differently about risking _her_ life up there on the Bridge, than your own. You don't know what it did to me to live without you all these years, nor the devastation it caused to those around you who care about you so much." 

"I can surmise. I know what it did to me to live…ten years without you. But that's why I had to stay detached while we were out there…" 

"Water under the bridge now. The past is done with for all four of us. It's the future we have to think about now. Kathryn, we got home…and you still kept yourself aloof…from me anyway, and we know why that was, don't we?" 

Kathryn pursed her lips stubbornly. 

"Well, I've already told you that my stupid liaison with Seven did more damage than either of us have been willing to admit, in both timelines. I may have been able to forge some reconciliation with my Kathryn. But you never did, did you? You always believed Seven was the one he wanted, and I don't buy that for a second. In fact, you carried your responsibility for all of us far into the future, always adhering strictly to protocol. You never let it go, did you? The fact that you're here now is testament to that fact. You came back, above all things, to make Seven and me happy." 

"I'm clearly not the only one around here with problems letting go..." 

"Maybe you made an error in judgement about what the best outcome for the three of us should be." She looked at him steadily, not quite ready to concede this. "And tomorrow," he continued, "you can kiss goodbye to your responsibility for this crew. It's time to make some changes around here." 

"Chakotay?" she asked, leaning forward. "How can you be sure? How can you know that you can make things turn out for the better." 

"I'm willing to take that risk, just as you are," he stared at her sternly. "You came here not knowing for sure that things would turn out any better. You were prepared to go to your death tomorrow, not knowing if your sacrifice had been worth it." 

"I do now." 

"Do you? Let me tell you, when your younger self was taken by the Borg, it had ramifications beyond the personal. It was catastrophic for the Alpha Quadrant, and I intend to change that. Don't you trust my judgement?" 

"I know I should. You can be very persuasive, Chakotay." 

"If we pick the wrong course of action, then another future version of one or other of us will show up before the morning. Or Braxton. If that doesn't happen, we'll know we've got it right." 

"You have a point. Unless we're both dead in this new timeline." 

"Have a little faith, Kathryn." 

"So…Braxton didn't show up to change things in your timeline?" 

"No, I guess I was always a little curious about that. One can only assume that we were intended to change things." 

Eventually a small smile crept onto her face. "Okay," she conceded. "I can buy that one…just about." 

"Good," he ventured, smiling back. "How's the coffee?" 

She grinned now. "It's…every bit as good as I remember. Thankfully, it's not Neelix's substitute. I don't think I could have stomached that." 

"They've spared you a few replicator rations?" 

"Yes." 

"Well, they won't be needing them after tomorrow." 

"That's a great comfort to me. That all my work hasn't been in vain." 

"Nor mine. I have the advantage over you. I know what's going to happen tomorrow and I'm confident I can pull you out without affecting the outcome for Voyager," he told her. 

She nodded. "If I'm honest with myself, I have to agree." 

"Tomorrow, we take both shuttles in, under stealth. Find our way to the central plexus. You do exactly what you planned and I stay cloaked the whole time, monitoring the situation. They'll never even know I'm there till it's too late. I shouldn't tell you too much, because I don't want it to affect your behaviour in any way." 

"Just knowing you're there could affect my behaviour." 

"Granted, but I'm sure you can be sufficiently focused to ignore it. You'll be free to deal with her majesty, while I concentrate on keeping my shuttle safely out of Borg hands. Meanwhile Voyager goes in and starts firing at the nodes to destroy the hub. The queen will triangulate your signal and transport you to her." 

"My signal? You know I'm going to use the neural interface to buy time?" 

"Yes. I know exactly what you're going to do. I've lived this piece of history before, only I was on Voyager that time, disappearing into the hub and heading home." 

A smile hovered on Kathryn's lips. "Sounds as if you've got this all worked out." 

"Just as you have. By the time they realise they've been had, Voyager will be nearly home." 

"That is my intention." 

"Exactly. I'm afraid she will begin to assimilate you, but then that's part of your plan too, isn't it?" 

Kathryn shifted uneasily. "I have to deliver the pathogen." 

"I know. But once you have, it will not take long before their defences come down. I'll get you out, I promise. And pretty soon we'll be well on our way to a new life. My shuttle is fully stocked for a lengthy mission, with fully functioning replicator, you'll be pleased to know. So how does it sound to you to sail off into the night? Just you and me." 

"The idea does have a certain appeal." 

"We have a few friends in the Delta Quadrant…we could find some place to settle down. Or maybe set ourselves up on some idyllic uninhabited planet. Who knows? We might end up near New Earth." 

This definitely brought a smile to her face. "We've a few enemies too." 

"One small shuttlecraft isn't going to grab much attention. And it has the most advanced stealth technology. We can steal our way about without leaving a trail. I used to live like that." 

"Guess you did." 

"We'd have to live on top of each other for a while…good chance to get acquainted again." 

"Yes, it will." 

"You know I've always loved you, don't you?" 

She didn't blink an eye, just drew in a resigned breath. "Yes." 

"Twenty years of reflecting on what might have been has given me a certain clarity…" 

"Time alone certainly does that. But I'm a stranger to you. You aren't the Chakotay of my timeline…" 

"But up until this moment in time we were the same two people that are up there now on the Bridge. We were both the two people who spent two months together on New Earth on the brink of turning our relationship into something very special." 

"We were…very close…once." 

"I'm sorry. I know that my dating Seven drove a wedge between us…in both our timelines. I need you to know that she never meant as much to me as you do." 

Kathryn was silent for a few moments, mulling over the pain she'd felt as his relationship Seven blossomed, the even worse agony when Seven died. "Tell me, did you marry her?" 

"No," he answered, apologetically. "No, we didn't. We were together for a few weeks, but pretty soon realised it was all totally wrong. We weren't that suited. But by then the damage had already been done. It took years for me to even begin to undo it. I never realised how much I'd wounded you. Why did you tell her Seven and I married? It shocked the hell out of her, and for years she believed that I had no residual affection for her." 

"Because it was true. You did marry her in my timeline. I thought the Captain should be prepared for it...and you hadn't told her. What's more, I needed her to sit up and take notice." 

"Oh, she did that alright. Only too well." They stared at each other in silence for a minute or two. "Were we happy?" he asked more gently. "Tell me honestly." 

"What?" 

"Seven and I. Were we happy?" 

"I…I don't…I can't answer that. I always supposed you were. You were devastated when she died. So was I. But you're right about one thing. It did drive a wedge between us." 

He smiled sadly. "Maybe the reasons were more complicated than you imagined. We were two people who fancied the hell out of each other for years. Two best friends…it would have been amazing, if only protocol hadn't kept us apart." Kathryn smiled in agreement. "I happen to think that's what your destiny is…our destiny is. We both knew it…deep down, when we first set eyes on each other." Their eyes locked, acknowledging the depth of truth in his words. "It's not too late. Not for you and me. I know we've both spent a long time alone, but that hasn't made me long for you any less. You're still a very attractive woman, Kathryn." She merely grinned in half-belief at this. "And more than willing to take a risk. That you were prepared to go head to head with Korath for the temporal device speaks volumes." 

"I suppose it does." 

"Tell me, did you have as much trouble getting him to part with it as I did?" 

"He wasn't the easiest person to do business with," she said, significantly understating the situation. 

"No, he wasn't. Nor was he the hardest to outwit." They smiled in understanding. "You always were one to brave the unknown. Your being here shows you still are." 

"I guess that's true." 

He rose from his chair and extended a hand. She took it with a smile, and he pulled her out of her chair. For a long time, they just stared into each others eyes, wondering what was about to happen…anticipating what was about to happen. He reached forward and cupped her face tenderly, and she leaned wistfully into his hand. "It's our time now. It's theirs too…if we only go and knock some sense into them." 

"Maybe." 

"No maybe about it. It's destiny, Kathryn. I've always loved you." 

She sighed. "I know. And I've always loved you too." 

He leaned in and brushed his lips gently over hers, deepening it as she moved into his arms. 

"I've done this with you before...for a few precious hours, that's all I had." 

"You have the advantage on me." 

"Then you never kissed your Chakotay?" 

"Never like this!" 

"Then we'd better make up for it." 

He kissed her again, allowing his tongue to explore her mouth, his hand drawing her precious frame more snuggly into his. 

"So, Kathryn Janeway," he asked, "you're not too old to make love, are you?" 

She drew in a surprised breath. "G-d…I hope not. It's been a while, though. And things creak a little…" 

He laughed. "Don't worry…it's been a while for me too. We'll work it out." He kissed her again, more demanding this time. Then stepped back. "I think I'll go tell Tuvok, I won't be needing my own quarters after all…" 

"You don't waste much time, Admiral." 

"Not anymore. Any objections?" 

"Not from me." 

More kissing followed, tender, affirming and full of promise. 

Finally, he broke off, stepping back reluctantly. "Right, I'm going to give my younger self a piece of my mind, before he goes and screws it up with your younger self all over again. Then we go to the Captain and get her to marry us." 

Kathryn gasped, a little shocked at this development. "It won't be legal surely. I can't marry myself to you." 

"You know what? I don't give a damn. We aren't likely to be going anywhere where the document will matter. It's the promise that counts, and the message it sends out to the people who witness it. And all the people we most want to have around us will be there. Most especially that stubborn Captain and Commander up there, who both need a good kick up the backside. Besides, I don't think the Captain's in any position to refuse us anything right now…" 

"You have a point. But, Chakotay, we've been on our own so long. Marriage is for the young. We're both set in our ways. We're practically strangers…" 

"Strangers, who love each other. So? We've got plenty of time to get to know each other again. We may have lived different lives from this point on, but we are the same two people who spent eight weeks together on that planet. We managed alright, didn't we?" 

"Yes…but it was a long time ago." 

"So there'll be few bumps along the way. It'll just make things more exciting. Stick with me, Kathryn. It's going to be one hell of a ride." 

"I imagine it will." 

"Come on, Kathryn," he said kissing her firmly, before moving towards the door, "How can it be more reckless than throwing yourself to the Borg? I figure it's got to beat certain assimilation." 

Kathryn watched his retreating figure with amusement. "I can't argue with that." 

* * *

  


There was a certain disbelief amongst the witnesses as the two Admirals pledged their love for each other in the hastily cobbled wedding ceremony held in the Ready Room. Tom was watching, eyes on stalks. B'Elanna stood highly amused and so massively pregnant that she looked fit to burst. Harry Kim looked faintly uncomfortable, as if the thought of two older people, whom he tended to regard as substitute parents (or maybe grandparents in this case), getting it together was disturbing. Tuvok stood quiet and stoical, having been compelled to point out the obvious illegality of the ceremony and endure the subsequent lack of notice taken of his advice. The Doctor was thoroughly enjoying the occasion and Seven was watching in silence, but pondering in slightly disturbed fashion on the true nature of the relationship between her commanding officers. Chakotay had no official part in the ceremony, but his own mind was in more turmoil than it had been for years. This was not a good sign, given that tomorrow the Captain was going to expect him to be focused and firing on all cylinders. He could only hope that the younger Kathryn was not in such a state of confusion. 

He watched her carefully. Her face showed no trace of inner turmoil. She was performing the ceremony without a trace of disquiet, now that her initial objections had been over-ridden. Her initial insistence that the marriage wouldn't be legal had been swept away by the older couple, who clearly didn't give a damn. 

The whole thing was over quickly, and there was no time for festivities. The crew had much work to do in preparation for the morning. The couple themselves retired joyfully to their temporary quarters, and the rest of the assembly left to complete their tasks and get as much sleep as possible before the coming adventure. 

* * *

  


"It's about time…I'm not getting any younger, you know," said Admiral Janeway from the controls of her shuttle to the Captain, who had just appeared armed with a hypospray. 

"Are you sure you want to go through with this? It's not too late to change your mind." 

"Absolutely. Yesterday, I thought the sacrifice was worth it. Now I know it is. Besides, Voyager isn't big enough for the four of us." 

"You'll be left behind in the Delta Quadrant with Chakotay." 

"I think I can live with that…" she said with a self-indulgent smile, and craned her neck to allow the younger woman to deliver the hypospray. "Think of it as an extended honeymoon." 

"You want to tell me about last night?" asked the younger woman. 

"There are some things a woman has to find out for herself…" answered the Admiral evasively, but it didn't stop her noticing the slight cloud of disappointment in her counterpart's eyes. "But I will tell you it was wonderful. You should try it for yourself." 

The younger Kathryn's eyes fell. "I still think it's too late for that…" 

"Not if you believe my Chakotay. And after all, your Chakotay has so far only lived one day differently from mine. They both have the same memories, the same experiences, the same feelings. He assures me that, despite appearances, he loved you deeply." 

"That was not the impression you gave me forty-eight hours ago." 

The Admiral sighed regretfully. "No, it's not." 

"In fact you were most eager to point out that Chakotay and Seven were to marry." 

"I needed to shock you into action. You'll lose him, if you don't do something about it. In fact, you'll lose yourself. Yes, they married, but that doesn't mean that it was the right outcome in my timeline or any other. For all three of us. He asked me if they were happy, and for the first time I found myself questioning that. I honestly don't know, because I distanced myself from the two of them afterwards…if I'm honest, from the moment I first found out about them. I can only tell you it knocked chunks out of my heart to have to marry them. And her death drove us further apart still. We never had a discussion about our feelings that counted. 

Chakotay believes it our destiny to be together, and that up until yesterday, he and I have consistently evaded it. And now, after last night, I can only say that I agree with him. Maybe you two deserve to be together too, if only you will follow your own destiny." 

"Perhaps." 

The older woman smiled, and reached out her hand to touch the Captain's cheek. "Take my advice. Tell him how you feel. You've nothing to lose. Promise me, you'll tell him." 

Kathryn nodded. "I will," she said, smiling weakly. 

"Good," replied the Admiral, drawing her into a hug. 

"Good luck with your mission," offered the Captain. 

"After yesterday…I think I have all the luck running on my side." 

"I think you do." 

"And I can go out there, knowing that it's all been worth it. You will get your crew home." 

"I will, I promise." She pulled back and studied the older woman seriously. 

"I'm glad I got to know you, again." 

"And I you." 

* * *

  


Captain Janeway stepped behind the force-field, and turned to watch the Admiral's shuttle depart, breathing her goodwill after her. They'd been careful to ensure that she left Voyager at exactly the same moment Chakotay indicated from his account of history. Would the coming together of the older couple affect how things panned out today? She had to hope not, at least until Admiral Janeway had finished her business in the central plexus. 

She was vaguely aware of both Chakotays watching the scene from the rear of the shuttlebay. As the hangar door closed behind the departing shuttle, her gaze swivelled to where both men were bidding farewell to each other. They'd evidently been in deep discussion, and the younger man glanced thoughtfully at her for just a few seconds, before he disappeared behind the sweeping doors. She imagined they'd been discussing her, or possibly both versions of herself, and she wondered how well that boded for the future. 

She approached Admiral Chakotay to wish him success in his part of the mission, and indeed to thank him for relieving her of the burden of sending her older self to her death. 

A few predictable exchanges of sentiment were followed by some moments of silent intent study, each desirous of reading the truth in the other, each reluctant to tread on that most hallowed of territory. In the end, simply, he held out his arms, and she willingly fell into them. He kissed the top of her head, inhaling that familiar scent he loved so much. He fingered a lock of her hair, re-acquainting himself with the lustrous colour and texture, imprinting it into his memory forever. He'd never been able to say goodbye to his Kathryn. There'd been no body. Whatever was left of her, after the Borg had done their worst, had been blown across the dark expanse of the sol system. 

A selfish part of him wanted to keep them both. He closed his eyes mournfully, and stroked her back with affection. If Kathryn noticed his hand was shaking, she made no comment. 

"Get her out of there for me!" she told him. 

"I will, I promise. It's what I came for after all." After a few moments, he added, "You know, in many ways you're much closer to the Kathryn Janeway I lost, than…my wife." He reached up and stroked her cheek, willing his eyes not to tear up. "You're much more the woman I remember. The one I loved and lost. It's hard for me to part with you, but I must. I am a married man now...a very happily married man, I might add. The Admiral and I are two people who have spent years alone. Probably become very set in our ways. It will be an interesting ride." 

"I imagine it will." 

"Make no mistake. I love you both, and it is only right that I go after her. I know the Admiral and I will find all the peace and joy we need to be content. We belong together. Just as you belong with that man out there." 

"That's hard to swallow right now." 

"I know. But he loves you. I'm not so old, I can't remember how I felt at the time. Despite appearances, he loves you. He always has. He just lost a little hope recently. I've given him quite a few things to think about." 

"Look…I appreciate your efforts," she said gently, "but I'd much rather he came to me of his own volition, not because you've told him to." 

"Well, you'll get your ship home today. And he will come to you, I know he will. What you do with that opportunity is your own decision, but please talk to him. You've spent years avoiding the issue, and it's time for some honesty. Do this one thing for me, will you? You owe me that much." 

She drew back, smiling sadly. His own eyes were glistening. "She asked me to speak to him too." 

"Then you're doubly indebted." 

"I suppose I am. Think you'd better get after her." 

"Yes, Captain," he said, patting her once on both shoulders and releasing her. "This should be a safe enough distance not to interfere with history…at least until she's eye-balled the queen into submission." 

She smiled at that. The image of her other self confronting the Borg queen was a compelling one. "Let's hope last night hasn't softened her resolve." 

"On the contrary, I think she has even more reason to succeed." 

Kathryn nodded at this, appreciating the possibility. "Well, good luck, then." 

"And to you, although I think success in your part of this is a pretty safe bet. Just remember, no beaming onto any Borg cubes…ever!" 

"I'll bear that in mind." 

He took a few steps toward his shuttle. "Marriage is pretty amazing," he added as a parting shot. "You should try it sometime." 

"Perhaps I will." 

* * *

  


Admiral Chakotay breathed a sigh of relief. It was all coming right. After all these years, it was all coming right. It had taken split second timing and a few palpitations to beam Admiral Janeway from the central plexus before it exploded. She'd been barely conscious as he did so, but he'd had to concentrate his efforts on getting well clear of the field of Borg vessels. He'd had no choice but to leave the care of his wife to the EMH. Thank all the powers in the universe, that he'd had the foresight to liquidise all his assets in order to hire one to bring with him. Of course, he wouldn't be returning the program to its owners, but then if his plan worked, they'd never be aware he'd hired it in the first place. 

He had taken time to study the locality and plot an escape route, as he'd waited for Kathryn to finish her dealings with the Borg queen. As he had expected, they were back in the Delta Quadrant, in a region of space they'd previously travelled…an area Kes had thrown them clear from years before. It was the heart of Borg space. He knew he had to get them out of there as soon as possible. He could only hope that the demise of the queen and the infection with the pathogen would throw the collective into disarray and afford them every opportunity to escape. So far it appeared there were no cubes in pursuit, and all signs of Borg activity suggested chaos. Indeed a few vessels had actually passed them travelling in the opposite direction, heading towards the location of the central plexus, or at least what had been the central plexus until it had so spectacularly exploded. 

He'd checked on her a couple of times, but the EMH had been working frantically to stabilise her condition, and to remove the implants that had already taken root. She'd be sore for some time, but he was already feeling confident that she was going to come out of this in good shape. 

She'd been sufficiently coherent as he'd rescued her for him to know that the suppressant had done its job and prevented any significant neurological damage, and hopefully any long term mental or emotional scarring. With patience, he'd have his Kathryn back, and it would all have been worth it. All these years of planning, and they'd both finally have what, for over half a lifetime, they had most longed for. Each other. 

If they were stuck in the Delta Quadrant, so be it. They could live with that. The Alpha Quadrant may have once been home and in many ways still was, but he felt no remorse in gifting it to their younger selves. They neither of them had any further ties to take them back. And the Delta Quadrant could prove an interesting place, without the responsibility of getting a hundred and forty odd people back safely. 

Kathryn was coming round, and he satisfied himself at last that it was safe to leave the helm for a short while. 

He took a seat beside the table in the rear cabin, which had been adapted to serve as a surgical bed. Reaching forward, he took her hand, and she twisted herself to look at him. The marks on her skin were red and raw, where the obscene machinery had been ripped away, but in time they would heal. She looked weary, her eyes were dim, but brightened as she focused on his face. She managed a small smile. 

"Hello there," he said, squeezing her hand. 

"Hello." 

"How are you feeling?" 

"Like a thousand hot needles are sticking in me." 

The EMH, a much later version than Voyager's, stepped forward to empty a hypospray into his patient. "That should ease the pain in a moment," he said brusquely. 

"We'll move you to a bed, when it's had a chance to kick in. That should make you feel a whole lot better." 

"Some coffee would be good." 

"All in good time." 

"Did Voyager get away?" 

"I believe she did. Everything I've witnessed suggests that it all went exactly as it did in my timeline. I guess we won't know for sure until we get the next transmission." 

"And where are we?" 

"Predictably, right in the heart of Borg space, but high-tailing it out at full throttle. We must avoid being assimilated at all costs. Both of us know far too much about the future, to risk giving that information to the Borg." 

Kathryn nodded. "Borg space is pretty extensive." 

"Yes, it is. But…since it seems your confrontation with the queen has thrown them into utter chaos, I'd say our chances are pretty good. They look as if they've far too many problems of their own to worry about one small vessel, assuming we don't advertise who's on it." 

"Maybe Kes is out there watching over us too." 

"Maybe she is. We'll get out of here. Find some idyllic planet, or some friendly civilisation and make a home. And you are going to be just fine in a few weeks time." 

"That's your official prognosis, is it, Dr. Chakotay?" 

"It is mine too," interrupted the EMH. 

"Well, then, wife of my heart, care to voice any opinion as to heading?" 

"Oh… and there I was labouring under the impression we're of equal ranks now." 

"We are, but I'd still like your opinion." 

"I'll leave it in your capable hands," she said tiredly. 

"I thought you always had an opinion on everything!" 

She sighed. "I just want to sleep." 

"Well, wait till we get you onto a bed." 

"Okay." 

Together the EMH and Chakotay helped her onto a bed against the wall of the cabin, settled her in comfortably and supplied her with the desired mug of coffee. It was certainly an improvement on the table. 

"I'd better get back to the helm," he told her with a kiss. 

"Chakotay…thank you. For everything." 

He smiled at her. "No thanks are needed. Your being here is all the reward I need." 

She smiled back. "Just how far is it to New Earth?" 

His grin broadened in amusement. "Aha! I knew you wouldn't last long without voicing an opinion." 

* * *

  


Commander Chakotay rang the chime to his Captain's quarters, and she bid him enter. It was quiet, and at first glance seemed unoccupied. In the semi-darkness he saw her standing by the viewport staring at the unmistakable scene beyond: a whole armada of fleet ships and the familiar outer reaches of the sol system, a panorama of confusion to match the confusion in the minds of both people. 

She knew it was him. She didn't have to turn to look. 

"Well, what do you think of that, Chakotay?" 

"I think…it's a beautiful sight. One we've truly earned." 

"So many people left behind," she said dolefully. 

"And so many returned. I think we can count it as an amazing achievement. No other group of people in the whole of history have ever made it home against such odds and from so far-flung an exile." 

She nodded, and turned towards him. "I guess you're right." 

"We'll be mobbed and fêted, just you see." 

"Don't!" she warned, "or I might be tempted to turn the ship around and head right back." 

"Now that would be foolish. It's everything we've fought for seven years. And our older selves gave up everything so we could make it here…" 

"Not quite everything," she said with a smile. 

"No." 

"Did they make it out safely, do you think?" 

"Oh, I think they did. For once, I truly believe luck was on our side." 

"I guess we'll have to wait a few weeks for confirmation." 

"And remember, I gave my solemn word not to let you near any Borg cubes again." 

"Even if you have to chain me up?" 

"Even then, and the idea does have some appeal." They paused awkwardly, before he continued. "Kathryn, we need to talk." She merely nodded in response. "I'm sorry I haven't spent much time with you lately. I've been a little preoccupied." 

"And I'm sorry if I've been a little short with you." 

"It's understandable. I know you've had reason to be. And I apologise right now, for not telling you what was going on." 

"You've been dating Seven." 

"Yes. But that's all it is just now. Just a few dates. Nothing serious." 

"But it's going well?" 

"Up until yesterday, I thought so. You've done a great job helping her to rebuild her life. That it's possible to spend a few hours enjoying her company, is all credit to you. In truth, that we've all come so far in our personal journeys is down to you. We have all changed so much for the better through your leadership, your patience, your encouragement. Just look at Tom, B'Elanna, the Doctor…." He paused. "Me," he added, softly. Kathryn tilted her head in acknowledgement, but said nothing. He drew a deep breath. "Kathryn, I know we've spent years avoiding the issue, but it's time we were honest with each other. I need to know how you feel about me." 

Kathryn turned towards him and drew a deep breath of her own. "Chakotay…I…love you very much. But I care about you too much to stand in your way. I want you to be happy, and I wouldn't want to come between you and Seven." 

"And I wouldn't want Seven to come between you and me, and there is, I've been warned, a very real danger of that. I love you, Kathryn. You are the one who lights up my life, who brings out the best in me, who gives meaning to my existence, who makes me come alive in her presence. Nobody else can do that. I started dating Seven because I lost hope. I thought you didn't love me. I was lonely…I thought she had enough going for her to make me forget you. I was wrong on both counts." 

"Is this you or the Admiral speaking? Are you telling me this because he told you to?" 

"No!" he said emphatically. "I'm saying it because it's the truth. I would probably have come in here tonight and said all this anyway." 

"Really?" she said doubtfully. "Because he obviously didn't." 

"No, and he never regretted anything more in his life. He'd already sensed, like I have, that you were distancing yourself from him, and he didn't realise why until it was too late. He told me he slept with Seven a few times. Somewhat foolishly. He found the whole thing most unsatisfying. He said that it felt as if...she was experimenting with him. Apparently she'd already been doing so, with a holographic version of him." 

Kathryn's eyes widened guiltily. 

"You know about that?" 

"Yes," she admitted. 

"And you didn't tell me?" he complained. 

"I talked to her. Explained it was inappropriate. It's my understanding she shut down the program. I didn't wish to disturb you with the information." 

"I think I had a right to know," he blustered. 

"I'm sorry, Chakotay. I thought it was for the best." 

"You thought it was for the best?" 

"Yes. I apologise. I made an error in judgement. I never actually envisioned that you two would become involved. After all, you've always had the strongest misgivings about keeping her on board." 

Some of the steam went out of Chakotay's anger at this. "I let those go long ago. I wish you had told me," he said more gently. "I might have viewed it differently when she asked for a date. Spirits, I'm little more than an experiment to her..." 

"Isn't that what most couples do when they first become intimate? Experiment to find out if they're good together?" 

"No!" he said, emphatically. "I never expected you to become so cynical. No! Sometimes it's about loving someone so much, you can't help but express how much they mean to you. An outpouring of some deep emotion, welling up and bursting out because you can't hold it in any longer. It's about getting as physically close to that person as it's possible to be. There's no sense of experiment about it...you just know it's going to be soul-searing, mind-blowing...life-changing. You just know. That's how I feel about you. That's how I've always felt about you. All I needed was a little encouragement from you, some signal that you were ready to let it happen." 

This little declaration stunned her into silence for a moment, yet her heart was beating at frantic pace. Could he really mean that? She had been shocked beyond anything to find out that he was dating Seven. It had rocked her to the core, but equally she was going to have a hard time believing that he could possibly want her over Seven. 

"How can I believe you? When you're dating someone else?" she asked. 

"I told you...we've just had a few dates. It means nothing...well, alright, it means I lost hope with you. Do you know when it hit me? When I saw our two older selves kiss each other at the wedding! I realised he had found some way to reach her. I was so jealous. He'd only had a few hours with her, and yet something he'd said or done had obviously turned things around for both of them. That kiss wasn't platonic, it wasn't experimental. It sprung from genuine mutual affection. Didn't you see how their eyes were shining? I didn't need him to tell me any home-truths. I knew he had what I wanted." 

"With me?" 

"With you. He told me he had one night with you in his timeline. A few precious hours, just before you disappeared from his life altogether. It had taken him a long time to get her to forgive him for Seven. Even then, he wasn't convinced the wounds had healed properly. But that one night was apparently the most wonderful, exhilarating time of his life. I can identify with that. That's how I'd feel." 

Kathryn stared at him in wide-eyed wonder, almost speechless at the declaration, which seem to be from the heart of both men. "Wow!" she exhaled. 

"Intimacy with two women," he continued. "One purely mechanical, gratifying the needs of the body. The other a joyous union of two hearts, satisfying the spirit, feeding the soul as well as the body. Imagine losing that! Imagine tasting it for such a bitterly short time, and then having it snatched away! Little wonder it was powerful enough to drive him back through time, to change history. To find his way back to her." 

"Oh, Chakotay!" she exclaimed, quite overwhelmed. 

"And then there's us...two people who know something that special is within our grasp and have yet to reach for it. How tragic can you get? Destiny, he told me. _Our destiny._ Not Starfleet, not the Borg, not the Delta Quadrant, not even Voyager. Just us, you and me. It's time to stop running from it, and embrace it instead. Oh, he may have given me a good talking to, but I recognised the truth in everything he said. I'm not here because he told me to be, but because it's exactly where I want to be. Kathryn, so much time's been wasted already. Let's not waste any more. We can stop bearing responsibility for the ship, the crew and everyone else, and live at last for ourselves. It shouldn't be about Starfleet or rank or responsibility anymore. It should be about two people and how they feel about each other." He took a step towards her through the darkness, and sensed, rather than heard, the tracks of her tears. "And they love each other, don't they?" 

"Yes," she sniffed, stepping into his arms. 

He kissed her forehead. "Time to come clean, Kathryn Janeway." 

"Yes, I love you with all my heart. You light up my life too. You always did." 

"And?" 

"Chakotay, you are my rock, my foundation. From the moment you beamed onto my Bridge, you've meant everything to me. What can I say? I'd be a crumbling mess without you. And I am truly alive in your presence." 

"So you do love me?" he said, laughing as he kissed her again. 

"I think that just about sums it up," she confessed. 

"Enough to try the happy ever after thing?" 

"Oh, a thousand times, yes." 

"Take the lead from our older selves? Go the whole hog? We could be the Alpha Quadrant counterpoint to their Delta." 

"That is about the best suggestion you've ever made to me!" 

"And I love you too, by the way, in case I wasn't clear earlier," he said, finally finding her lips. "More than I can ever tell you." Suddenly they were both on fire, enjoying the first delicious physical exploration. The long constrained furnace of attraction was ablaze, and it took some time before she pulled back breathlessly. 

"Chakotay, this could get a little awkward. Maybe we should wait till after the debriefings," she postulated. 

"Oh no! No way! I will not be denied any longer," he said, sweeping her from the floor and carrying her towards her bedroom. "I've been a very patient man. For seven years! I've never pushed, never complained, always respected your position as Captain. Always understood that you were unprepared to test the command structure, by permitting a change in our relationship. But enough is enough. We're crossing this barrier...now. The way I see it, protocol flew out the airlock the moment we entered the Alpha Quadrant." 

"Oh?" she exclaimed, a little surprised by his sudden decisiveness. 

"It's time for Kathryn Janeway to start living again. She does far too much thinking, and it has to stop. She's just going to have to get used to some changes around here. I'm going to be dishing out some of the orders from now on. I'm told she quite enjoys a firm hand in the bedroom." 

"Is that so?" 

"We'll soon find out," he said, depositing her on the bed and already fumbling at the closure on her jacket. "And we can start by getting you out of that uniform." 

Kathryn felt a thrill run through her, as she decided she liked the sound of that. Rather too much. Her body was already thrumming with anticipation. An achingly familiar tingle was beginning to throb between her legs, something she'd suppressed for so long. 

"I think I might enjoy serving under you," she rasped breathily, lending her hands to assist in the divestment. 

"My beloved Ca...ex-Captain, _enjoy_ doesn't even begin to describe what's coming your way…" 


End file.
